18 September 2019
On 17 September 2019, the ANMF tabled your wages claim of 3.5% per year increase, with full back pay. Discussions between the parties are still in their early stages and will be ongoing.
SA Health has also proposed significant changes to the HR Principles (February 2017) in which they are seeking to remove the ‘no forced redundancy’ restriction. This obligation has been in existence for many years and it is of great concern to the ANMF (SA Branch) that SA Health is now seeking to remove this obligation at a time when the health system cannot afford to lose any nursing and midwifery staff. It is also entirely inconsistent with comments made by the SA Health Minister that no nurse or midwife will be made redundant. The ANMF (SA Branch) is committed to ensuring that job security is protected and has rejected this proposal.
During the 2018 State election, the Government made an election commitment to develop a plan to recruit, train and develop health professionals in country health services. To deliver on its promise, in July 2019 SA Health released the draft SA Rural Medical Workforce Plan, which is the first tranche of its SA Rural Health Workforce Strategy. A draft plan for Nurses and Midwives will be released shortly for consultation. This is an important opportunity to discuss some of the issues we have also raised in bargaining and might be a more appropriate forum in which to resolve some of these issues. We will provide updates to members as this process progresses.